Women artists reflect candidly on their craft
Kaitlyn Willcoxon
Issue date: 2/4/10 Section: Arts
We, as students of Smith College all know that the college community is "heady, nervy and intellectually exciting." Smith will provide a place for such heady, nervy and intellectually exciting women artists to collaborate with the Real Lives of Women Artists Symposium on Feb. 26 and 27.
The symposium is designed to provide a forum where women artists can speak about their artistic challenges and experiences. Also, on the other side of the canvas, dealers, writers, critics and curators will be a part of the discussion and offer another perspective on art by providing their thoughts on art collection and appreciation.
"I chose Smith in part because I was very impressed with the art program and I loved being able to study real objects," said Wendy Cromwell '86, who will moderate the Business of Art panel. "Smith definitely contributed to my everything."
Real Lives of Women Artists corresponds with the "Women of the Year: A Series of Exhibitions Featuring Women Artists" exhibition, including "Touch Fire: Contemporary Japanese Ceramics by Women Artists" - set to close on Feb. 28 - and the audio installation at the Botanic Garden "What Every Gardener Knows" by Susan Hiller, which lasts through March 31.
A welcome given by Jessica Nicoll, director and chief curator of the Smith College Art Museum, and Maureen Mahoney, dean of the college and the director of the Women's Narrative Project, will kick off the symposium on Friday, Feb. 26, at 1:30 p.m. A dialogue, "Crossing Boundaries," will follow between artist Mierle Laderman Ukeles and Andrea Miller-Keller.
At 3 p.m., Jina Kim, associate professor of East Asian studies at Smith, will moderate a panel called "Beyond Tradition: Women Artists Bridging Cultural Divides," with artists Miawa Hanako from Japan and Jiha Moon from South Korea.
Both Kim's current research and courses focus on tradition. "Often we incorrectly believe that tradition is something of the past, outdated, obsolete and something worth discarding. Yet, there are many ways in which 'tradition' is still very much part of the present." Kim said. "It's really quite dynamic."
The symposium is designed to provide a forum where women artists can speak about their artistic challenges and experiences. Also, on the other side of the canvas, dealers, writers, critics and curators will be a part of the discussion and offer another perspective on art by providing their thoughts on art collection and appreciation.
"I chose Smith in part because I was very impressed with the art program and I loved being able to study real objects," said Wendy Cromwell '86, who will moderate the Business of Art panel. "Smith definitely contributed to my everything."
Real Lives of Women Artists corresponds with the "Women of the Year: A Series of Exhibitions Featuring Women Artists" exhibition, including "Touch Fire: Contemporary Japanese Ceramics by Women Artists" - set to close on Feb. 28 - and the audio installation at the Botanic Garden "What Every Gardener Knows" by Susan Hiller, which lasts through March 31.
A welcome given by Jessica Nicoll, director and chief curator of the Smith College Art Museum, and Maureen Mahoney, dean of the college and the director of the Women's Narrative Project, will kick off the symposium on Friday, Feb. 26, at 1:30 p.m. A dialogue, "Crossing Boundaries," will follow between artist Mierle Laderman Ukeles and Andrea Miller-Keller.
At 3 p.m., Jina Kim, associate professor of East Asian studies at Smith, will moderate a panel called "Beyond Tradition: Women Artists Bridging Cultural Divides," with artists Miawa Hanako from Japan and Jiha Moon from South Korea.
Both Kim's current research and courses focus on tradition. "Often we incorrectly believe that tradition is something of the past, outdated, obsolete and something worth discarding. Yet, there are many ways in which 'tradition' is still very much part of the present." Kim said. "It's really quite dynamic."
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